Roller skating, specifically in-line and multi-line skating, has witnessed a boom in popularity in recent years. Aside from being a wonderful recreational and exercise activity, in-line and multi-line skating is frequently used by athletes as a cross-training activity for ice skating (i.e., figure skating, speed skating, short track skating, hockey, etc.) as well as for cross-country skiing. Many of the leg, and arm, motions in both ice skating and in-line and multi-line skating are similar. Thus, in-line and multi-line roller skating offers a wonderful dry land training activity for many athletes in the aforementioned sports, as well as others. Because of the cross training benefit of in-line and multi-line skating, ice skaters can improve their ice skating skills by using in-line or multi-line skates. Similarly, proficient roller skaters can more easily learn and improve their ice skating skills.
In-line and multi-line skating has some advantages over ice skating, such as the ability to skate in many more locations (i.e., roadways, parking lots, bike paths, gymnasiums, hard surfaces, etc.). With ice skating however one, obviously, is limited to only being able to skate where there is ice. Another advantage of in-line and multi-line skating, especially for the beginner, is that balancing is easier on the in-line and multi-line skate than with an ice skate.
Unfortunately, in-line and multi-line skates have some disadvantages when compared with ice skates, as well. With in-line and multi-line skates, it is much more difficult to learn how to stop effectively, if at all, on the pavement.
Further, to effectively complete a “hockey stop”, where one quickly places one, or both, skates transverse to the path of travel in order to stop quickly, it is close to impossible on a roller skate without falling. Currently, in order to change directions or stop, roller skaters employ a skating loop, use a heel-mounted rubber bumper, or transversely drag the trailing skate, in lieu of a hockey stop. None of these techniques allow for as quick a stop and change of direction as a hockey stop.
Additionally, one cannot complete as small a radius turn on roller skates as one can with ice skates.
Additionally, some roller skates are employing a wheel with a hybrid composition; that is multiple materials (i.e., composite) within the cross-section of the tread area. These hybrid composition wheels have very high manufacturing and replacement costs.
Additionally, the current designs of roller skates and their wheels do not simulate the ideal leg motions made during skating and stopping. Thus, while cross-training between ice skating and roller skating is feasible because the two activities are not dissimilar, there is room for improvement in increasing the similarity between the two activities thereby enhancing cross training efforts.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved roller skate and wheel which makes improvements over both the above mentioned and other disadvantages of the in-line and multi-line skate.